Online Backup Client User Manual

January 2011 Version 2.0

Disclaimer

This document is compiled with the greatest possible care. However, errors might have been introduced caused by human mistakes or by other means. No rights can be derived from possible inaccuracies or errors as this is not a contractual agreement, but for information only.

Online Backup Client User Manual

Software version 3.21

For Linux distributions

BackupAgent Online Backup Client for Linux 3.21 User Manual

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1. Contents

1. Contents... 2

2. Product Information ... 4

2.1. System Requirements ... 4

3. Features ... 5

4. Setup ... 6

4.1. Software installation ... 6

4.2. Registration Wizard ... 7

5. Online Backup Client main interface ... 10

5.1. Home ... 11

5.2. Online backup ... 11

5.2.1. Create or change backup task ... 11

5.2.2. General ... 12

5.2.3. Schedule ... 13

5.2.4. Pre/Post scripts ... 13

5.2.5. File System ... 14

5.2.6. Filter ... 15

5.2.7. Backup progress ... 16

5.3. Offline backup ... 17

5.3.1. Create or change backup task ... 17

5.3.2. General ... 17

5.4. Restore ... 18

5.4.1. View backed up data ... 18

5.4.2. Restore latest versions of data ... 19

5.4.3. Restoring older versions of data ... 20

5.4.4. Deleting data from Backup Server ... 21

5.4.5. Restore process ... 21

5.5. Options ... 22

5.5.1. General ... 23

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5.5.2. Backup and Restore ... 23

5.5.3. Advanced ... 24

5.5.4. Plugins ... 25

5.5.4.1. MySQL backup ... 25

5.6. Report details ... 26

5.6.1. Reports ... 26

5.6.2. Logs ... 27

5.7. Support ... 28

5.8. About ... 29

BackupAgent Online Backup Client for Linux 3.21 User Manual

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2. Product Information

Product: Online Backup Client for Linux

Version: 3.21.x.x

2.1. System Requirements

Operating System  Linux (RedHat, SuSE, Debian and Debian based systems such as Ubuntu)

 Mac OS X* Tiger (10.4.10 and higher)

 Mac OS X* Leopard (10.5.0 and higher)

 Windows 2000 Professional*

 Windows XP (Home / Professional)*

 Windows Vista*

 Windows Server 2000 / 2003 / Small Business Server*

Hardware Resources  PC with 300 megahertz (MHz) or higher processor clock speed recommended

 1,5 GB memory

 25 MB of disk space

 Internet connection (e.g. ADSL, SDSL)

Required software  Microsoft .Net framework 1.1 ** (will install automatically with client)

 Java 1.5 platform or higher is required ***

* A separate manual is available for the Online Backup Client for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X

** Only required for the Microsoft Windows version of the client

*** Only required for the Mac OS X / Linux version of the client (not covered in this manual)

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3. Features

The Online Backup Client has several features. It supports different kinds of data. It can backup normal data but also specific data.

 You can make one or more scheduled tasks to backup data automatically (e.g. daily, weekly).

 The Online Backup Client fully supports all Linux file formats, including user rights

The Online Backup Service also includes a Management Console, which can be accessed through an internet browser (e.g. Internet Explorer). It has several functions:

 Access your data to restore or remove a file

 Change user settings (e.g. password)

 Overview of your backups through logs and reports

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4. Setup

4.1. Software installation

Currently there is no package available for Linux. Setup of the Online Backup Client is performed using the following instructions:

 Copy the Online Backup Client archive (OnlineBackupClient-3.21.x.x.tar.gz) to your system and place it in your $HOME directory.

 create a new directory:

mkdir $HOME/OnlineBackupClient

 change to this directory and extract the archive:

cd $HOME/OnlineBackupClient

tar xzf $HOME/OnlineBackupClient-3.21.x.x.tar.gz

 This will create the two following folders:

Server/ This folder contains the Online Backup Service component.

Client/ This folder contains the user-interface application for the Online Backup Client.

 If this is a new installation, copy the following file:

Server/config/keystore.jks.orig to Server/config/keystore.jks

Note: Do not copy the file if you are upgrading an existing installation as this would overwrite your user name and password, prompting the registration wizard when the client is started.

 Start the Online Backup Service:

cd $HOME/OnlineBackupClient /Server ./server-with-logging.sh

This will start the Online Backup Client Service and place it in the background.

Here you will be asked to enter your (sudo) password, so the Online Backup Client can access all the files.

 Start the Online Backup Client User Interface:

cd $HOME/OnlineBackupClient/Client ./client-with-logging.sh

This will start the Online Backup Client User Interface and, if this is a first-time installation, present you with the Registration Wizard.

Note: After the setup, you can adjust the language of the Online Backup Client

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4.2. Registration Wizard

When the Online Backup Client is started for the first time, it will start with the Registration Wizard. The Registration Wizard guides you to fill in the account information and encryption key. With the encryption key your data will be encrypted and decrypted.

Figure 1: Registration wizard

You need to fill in the address of the Backup Server to connect to; your Online Backup Provider will provide you with this address. You can test the address by clicking on „Test‟.

Figure 2: Backup Server Address

You need to fill in the username and password that you created or obtained from your Online Backup Provider.

Note: You also have to fill in a Computer name. This which will be registered at the Backup Server to store all files.

https://ba.filebackup.ch

BackupAgent Online Backup Client for Linux 3.21 User Manual

Page 8 of 29 Figure 3: User account

Note: If you don‟t remember your password you can click on the link below the Username text field. A reminder will then be sent to your registered email address.

Note: If there is a problem with the username and password, the Online Backup Client will show a prompt that signing in is not possible. There can be several reasons for this to occur:

 The username and/or password does not exist or is incorrect

 The time on the client machine differs too much from the real time (more than 24 hours)

 The Online Backup Client cannot access the online services while port 443 (SSL) is blocked by a firewall on the network

The next wizard page will ask you to set an encryption key. The purpose of this key is to encrypt all files

before transferring them to the Backup Server and decrypt the files from the Backup Server when

restoring them.

Page 9 of 29 Figure 4: Encryption Key

You must type an encryption key and then confirm this key. You can only set the encryption key once.

After setting the encryption key it cannot be changed. If you forget the encryption key, the data encrypted with this key cannot be accessed anymore. Please write down the encryption key in a safe place.

IMPORTANT: This key is unique and can only be chosen once and cannot be changed afterwards. Treat this key with great care, since it required to restore your files after a system crash.

Note: It is possible to store a reminder which can be sent to your personal email address. In this wizard the field to enter the reminder will change into a link: „Forgot your encryption key?‟

Figure 5: End of Registration Wizard

The wizard is now finished.

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5. Online Backup Client main interface

This is the main interface of the Online Backup Client. Several components are displayed in the figure below:

 Navigation panel

 Account Information

 Main panel (e.g. Home)

Figure 6: Online Backup Client main interface

Navigation panel

The Navigation panel is the main navigation through the Online Backup Client. The options:

 Home: Start View

 Backup: Select local data for a backup

 Restore: Select remote data for a restore

 Reports and Logs: View information on executed backups

 Options: Configure backup tasks

 Support: View contact information for support

 About: Additional information about the Online Backup Client

Account Information

Shows account details: account name, storage space, status and usage of storage space.

Main Panel

The main panel is the working space of the Online Backup Client. Depending on what you want to do,

this panel will show the necessary views.

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5.1. Home

When you start the Online Backup Client it will show the Online Backup Client Home view. This view shows the status of the last and the next backup task.

Figure 7: Status of the last and next backup

5.2. Online backup

You can create an online backup task by clicking on “Backup” in the "Navigation" panel.

Figure 8: Backup

5.2.1. Create or change backup task

To create or change a backup task:

Create task

 Click on „New Task‟ to create a new backup task.

 The Task Properties will open, and you can configure:

o General (change name of backup task) o Schedule

o Pre/Post scripts

o File System

BackupAgent Online Backup Client for Linux 3.21 User Manual

Page 12 of 29 o MySQL

Change task

 Select the task in the tree view, and click on „Edit Task‟.

 The Task Properties will open, and you can configure:

o General (change name of backup task) o Schedule

o Pre/Post scripts o File System o MySQL

5.2.2. General

The „General-tab‟ gives you a summary of the backup task. You can change the name of the backup task in this screen.

This is also the place where you can decide between an Online backup or an Offline backup.

Figure 9: General view

Task Name

You can give the backup task a name.

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5.2.3. Schedule

You can set a schedule for the backup task in the „Schedule tab‟ in the Task properties.

Figure 10: Set a schedule

The following schedule options are possible:

 Never Performs a backup only if you manually start the task

 Once: Performs a backup once on the time that is inserted

 Daily: Performs a backup daily on the time that is inserted

 Weekly: Use this option to select which time and day(s) the backup must be performed

 Monthly: Use this option to select which time and day of the week the backup must be performed.

By checking „Active‟, the backup task will be performed automatically on the scheduled times.

Note: If you select a task in the view “Backup”, and click on „Start task‟, the backup task will be performed immediately.

5.2.4. Pre/Post scripts

Pre-Script

A Pre-Script is an advanced option to run certain operations before starting the backup task. You can simply browse a command or batch file (e.g. C:\scripts\command.bat) which will be executed prior to the start of the backup task.

Continue if Pre-Script fails

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Page 14 of 29 When checked, the backup will be performed, even if the prescript did not run properly.

Post-Script

A Post-Script is an advanced option to run certain operations after a backup task has run. You can simply browse a command or batch file (e.g. C:\scripts\command.bat) which will be executed after the backup task is completed

Figure 11: Pre/Post Scripts

5.2.5. File System

You can select data to backup in the „File Sytem-tab‟ in the Task properties. You can easily expand and collapse the branches of the tree, by clicking the plus or minus signs displayed at the left. All items are displayed with their type.

Figure 12: Select backup data

When a folder is selected for backup, underlying files and folders are automatically in the selection,

unless explicitly deselected.

Page 15 of 29 Note: If a folder is checked with a grey background only a subset of this folder is part of the backup set

Note: A light grey square in front of a file or folder means that it is not possible adopt that item in the backup set

5.2.6. Filter

You can add file filters or folder filters that are excluded or included in the backup task.

Figure 13: The filter screen while making a backup

5.2.7. MySQL

Instead of an file backup you can select to make a MySQL backup.

Open the MySQL-tab and you can see the MySQL backup plugin with the available servers and databases. Here you can select a database or even a table for the backup.

Figure 14: MySQL backup plugin

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5.2.8. Backup progress

The backup process can be monitored by clicking on „Details‟ at the bottom of the application during the process of a backup (the details-screen will pop-up automatically when a backup task is initiated).

Figure 15: The detail screen while making a backup

The details regarding the backup of data:

Progress information

 File progress: The progress of the backup of the indicated file

 Total progress: The progress of the total backup task

In the table (the amount of files, the amount of selected MBs and the amount of sent MBs)

 Full: Fully backed up files, which have not been backed up before

 Patch: Patched backed up files (incremental backups)

 NoNeed: Unchanged files (unchanged compared to last backup)

 Skipped: Skipped files (details in the logs (explained later)

 Done: The total amount of processed data

 Total: The total amount of selected data

 %Done: The percentage of processed data

Other information

 Avg.upl.speed: The average upload speed

 Remaining time: The estimated remaining time

 Elapsed time: The elapsed time

 Compression: The average compression rate of the backed up data

 Size uploaded: The size of the uploaded data

 Total size: The total size of the selected data

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5.3. Offline backup

You can create an offline backup task by clicking on “Backup” in the "Navigation" panel.

5.3.1. Create or change backup task

To create or change a backup task:

Create task

 Click on „New Task‟ to create a new backup task.

 The Task Properties will open, and you can configure:

o General (change name of backup task) o Schedule

o Pre/Post scripts o File System o MySQL Change task

 Select the task in the tree view, and click on „Edit Task‟.

 The Task Properties will open, and you can configure:

o General (change name of backup task) o Schedule

o Pre/Post scripts o File System o MySQL

5.3.2. General

The „General-tab‟ gives you a summary of the backup task. You can change the name of the backup task in this screen.

This is also the place where you can decide between an Online or an Offline backup.

BackupAgent Online Backup Client for Linux 3.21 User Manual

Page 18 of 29 Figure 16: General view

Task Name

You can give the backup task a name.

Backup type

Set the backup type to „Offline backup‟ and click on „Browse‟ to select the storage location.

Here you can also decide to create a Zip archive or not to create a Zip archive.

A zip archive is smaller to save, but you do have to unzip the files on the BackupAgent server when this is an initial offline backup.

All the next steps are the same as for an Online backup.

5.4. Restore

Your backed up data can be accessed by clicking “Restore” in the "Navigation" panel.

5.4.1. View backed up data

This view shows a collection of computers in the tree view. These computers are the base of the backup

schedules. If the Online Backup Client is (or was previously) installed on a computer, this computer will

be shown in this screen. Furthermore, the tree view shows all backed up data in the same structure as it

was on your computer. In this view you can restore data from the Backup Server and delete data from

the Backup server. You are also able to import a local backup for restore.

Page 19 of 29 Figure 17: Restore

5.4.2. Restore latest versions of data

Data can be restored per file, folder or drive. Select files, folders or drives you want to restore, in the node tree. By clicking the 'Restore‟ button, the latest version of the data will be restored automatically.

This is the most common option.

Figure 18: Restore screen

BackupAgent Online Backup Client for Linux 3.21 User Manual

Page 20 of 29 Before the restore starts, the client will ask you where you want to store the restored data. You can choose between the Default Location, the Original Location or an Alternative Location.

Note: If a file already exists on the restore location, a prompt appears that allows you to skip, rename or overwrite the file.

5.4.3. Restoring older versions of data

When a file has been changed within the period between two backups, the client will backup the file and notice that it has changed. The Online Backup Client will then create multiple versions of the file on the Backup Server (only if you have selected to store multiple versions, see later in this manual).

Restore at date

It is possible to restore a file or folder from a selected date in the past. You select a file or folder in the

„Restore‟ view and click on „Restore‟ in the lower main panel. In the „Restore‟ view that appears, click on the „Older Versions‟ button. Here you can select a date. The latest backed up versions of the selected files or folder before that date will be restored.

Note: This feature only works if you have selected to store multiple versions of the backup data, see

later in this manual.

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5.4.4. Deleting data from Backup Server

To delete data from the Backup Server, click on "Restore" in the "Navigation" panel. Select the data that needs to be deleted by checking the checkboxes (you can select multiple files or folders). Click on the

"Delete" button in the lower main panel to delete the file(s). The client will ask you to confirm the delete action.

Figure 19: Confirm delete action

Note: You can choose to delete all data except the latest versions. This can be useful to clean up your backup account.

5.4.5. Restore process

The restore process can be monitored by clicking on „Details‟ on the bottom of the application during the process of a restore (the details-screen will pop-up automatically when a restore is initiated).

Figure 20: Restoring Data

BackupAgent Online Backup Client for Linux 3.21 User Manual

Page 22 of 29 The details regarding the restore of data:

Progress information

 Status The status of the restore

 Current file The file that is being restored at the time

 File progress: The progress of the restore of the indicated file

 Total progress: The progress of files that have been restored

 Compression: The average compression rate of the backed up data

 Size downloaded: The size of the downloaded data

5.5. Options

You can set different kinds of settings by clicking “Options” in the "Navigation" panel.

Figure 21: Options

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5.5.1. General

In the “General”-tab, you can set general options of the Online Backup Client:

 You can change the language of the application

 You can enable or disable the sending of backup and restore reports by email

 You can enable or disable to always install an update when it is available

 You can change the password for your backup account

Note: It might not be possible to change your password in the Online Backup Client, since your Online Backup Provider can disable this option

Note: It is not possible to change the username or encryption key.

5.5.2. Backup and Restore

In the “Backup and Restore”-tab, you can set options that are specific for backing up and restoring with the Online Backup Client:

Figure 22: Default restore directory

Versioning

In this view the maximum number of versions of backed up files can be set. Default value is 3 versions.

BackupAgent Online Backup Client for Linux 3.21 User Manual

Page 24 of 29 Note: The original file is a version too. For example setting three versions makes a total of four versions

Restoring

In this view the default restore folder can be specified. This is the folder where data is restored by default when you don‟t choose a specified folder

Restoring

You can enable or disable to always calculate the restore size

5.5.3. Advanced

In the “Advanced”-tab, you can set advanced options of the Online Backup Client:

 You can set the type of Encryption of the data that will be backed up: AES 128 bits or 256 bits encryption

 Timeout for the service request setting:

80 is the timeout for the socket layer. Next retries will be performed with the following delays 5, 10, 20, 40 sec.

 Logging: Here you can set the directory where you can save the log files. You can also enable „Detailed logging‟ in case of problems. You will be asked to enable this by support in case of problems.

Figure 23: Advanced settings

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5.5.4. Plugins

In the “Plugins-tab”, you can set the options for all available plugins.

5.6. MySQL backup

Within the “Plugins-tab” you can activate the MySQL backup plugin. Once you have this activated you can set the plugin options like the URL, username and password.

Figure 24: MySQL backup plugin

Figure 25: MySQL plugin Options

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5.7. Report details

Click on “Reports and Logs” in the "Navigation" panel for a chronological overview of important events.

5.7.1. Reports

The “Reports”-view shows a history of reports. You can view the status of the past backups and restores:

Figure 26: Report view

Double-clicking on a report will show report details.

Figure 27: Report details

This report will also be sent to you by email.

Page 27 of 29 It is possible to clean the reports or logs list. In the list of reports or log, click on the „Delete selection‟

button.

5.7.2. Logs

The „Logs‟ view shows a history of log files.

Figure 28: Log view Three types of events can occur:

 Information: This is information on progress of the backup or restore procedure

 Warning: Non fatal errors occurred during backup or restore process.

 Error: A fatal error has occurred in the Online Backup Client.

Details of the log message can be viewed by clicking on [View]. This shows a dialog with detailed

information of the message.

BackupAgent Online Backup Client for Linux 3.21 User Manual

Page 28 of 29 Figure 29: Log Event Details

5.8. Support

Clicking on “Support” in the "Navigation" panel will give contact details of your Online Backup Provider.

Figure 30: Support contact information

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5.9. About

Clicking on “About” in the "Navigation" panel will give details on the version of the software and the license of the software.

Figure 31: Online Backup Client about